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Burning smell from dishwasher

Lately, while it is running, we have noticed an odor emanating from the dish washer. My wife thinks it smells like chemicals while to me, it smells like melted plastic.

I've check the heating element and there's nothing on it. I've scrubbed it down and I've checked the drain tube to see if anything is coming from there.

As you face the dishwasher, if you smell the right side of the dishwasher, the smell seems to come from there but not from the left side nor from within or under the dishwasher. It's only on the right side of the washer and in the cabinet under the sink. The water drains out to the right of the dishwasher going underneath our kitchen. It appears as if the odor is coming into the cabinet under the sink through the hole that the drain line comes through.

I just replaced the motor about three or four months ago as it was making a lot of noise. I don't know if it's the motor or something else? The smell only just started in the past week or so.

There is noise reduction padding which looks like a black, plastic garbage bag around the dishwasher. Could it be something is melting that? I haven't taken the dish washer out to inspect yet.

I've noticed that if I run the Time Saver option, the smell seems to not be as pronounced.

Thanks for any help in this matter. I'm hoping it's something as simple as the noise padding cover that is rubbing up against something, but I just don't know what that could be.

I'm also trying to decide if this is a safety issue. We only run the washer when we are home.

I had one do this as well, what I found was the black mastic type insulation material on the door up near the right side of the control console were the wires come down was getting too hot and melting the wire insulation to that black mastic material, so what I did was wrap the wiring in that area with electrical tape and the problem was gone.

Thanks Jake. I'll take a look at this. Is this something that is on the outside of the washer (such as just underneath the insulation) or do I have to take something apart?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Jake

Hi,

I had one do this as well, what I found was the black mastic type insulation material on the door up near the right side of the control console were the wires come down was getting too hot and melting the wire insulation to that black mastic material, so what I did was wrap the wiring in that area with electrical tape and the problem was gone.